Tips for saving money on your power bill in the heat

June 23, 2015 at 9:15 PM CDT - Updated July 2 at 4:40 AM

This information was provided by Entergy.

The mercury is beginning its climb up the thermometer, and you can bet it will be a long time before it begins to retreat. Don't let your electric bills climb with it. By taking steps to be more energy efficient, your air conditioner will run less and that, in turn, will help keep your electricity bill down.

“It takes a lot of energy to keep your house cool during the summer, but there are easy ways to save energy without sacrificing your comfort,” said Melonie Stewart, director of customer service.

Get your A/C inspected. Inspectors can make sure your system is leak-free and operating as efficiently as possible. Don't forget about air filters; some units require monthly cleaning or replacing.

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Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree lower than 78 can raise your bill as much as 3 percent. So if you crank it down to a cooler 72 degrees, you've already increased your bill by 18 percent.

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Buy a programmable thermostat. If you spend most of your day outside of the house, set your thermostat to automatically shut off the A/C when you're away. Heating and cooling systems account for 55 percent of your total electricity bill.

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Use fans to cool off, but remember – fans cool people, not rooms. Ceiling fans, box fans and oscillating fans use very little electricity and circulate the air, which helps you feel several degrees cooler. Just remember to turn them off when you leave the room.

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Close blinds, shades and curtains to keep the sun out and the cool air in. Also, close air conditioning vents in rooms that are not in use.

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Seal cracks and holes around doors, windows and duct work. Weather stripping and caulk will help keep the cold air inside the house and the hot air outdoors.

. Both offer ways to help you lower your energy bill and find new ways to save energy – and money – around your home or business.

Entergy New Orleans, Inc. is an electric and gas utility that serves Louisiana's Orleans Parish. The company provides electricity to more than 171,000 customers and natural gas to some 105,000 customers. Entergy New Orleans is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation.

Entergy's Louisiana utility companies provide electric service to more than one million customers through the operating companies Entergy Louisiana, LLC and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, L.L.C. and natural gas service to nearly 93,000 customers in the greater Baton Rouge area through Entergy Gulf States Louisiana. With operations in southern, central and northeastern Louisiana, the companies are subsidiaries of Entergy Corporation.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power, making it one of the nation's leading nuclear generators. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $12 billion and approximately 13,000 employees.